It's on Lawnmower guy!
by Altiria-Aty
Summary: Ace gets a bit obsessed with the holidays, Marco and his family 'help.' (Marco/Ace)
1. Chapter 1

"hes at it again"

"mmm" Marco hummed in response. His mind was in another place so the noise was an automatic one.

The paperwork - sitting in a large pile before him - required his full focus. As much as he wanted to give Ace every millisecond of his attention. He knew he'd be spending all night on the reports if he wanted to even make a dent.

"Marco" said Ace trying again to catch his attention.

"yeah?" he glanced up quickly to see what Ace wanted. Ace was standing half crouched near the window of their home office. He was pressed against the wall peering out toward the front street through the blinds.

"Lawnmower guy, hes at it again" Ace's face pinched in displeasure. Marco bit down a smile, Ace's freckles and warm eyes made the look quite adorable.

Ace dropped his head sideways starring at Marco in aggravation. Marco had apparently failed in hiding his thoughts. Quickly he moved to change the subject and get Ace back on his tirade.

"You shouldn't be surprised, and his name is Heracules"

His statement worked like a charm as Ace scowled and turned back toward the window.

"I'm not surprised! Lawnmower guy-"

"Heracules" Marco corrected

"-won't be victorious, just you wait. I won't lose again" Marco rolled his eyes. There were so many things off with that statement. Like how Ace was determined to win a competition that didn't matter. Or how he insisted calling their neighbor Lawnmower guy. Which Marco didn't really blame Ace for.

Heracules was obsessed with his lawn, obsessed! He'd mow at every opportunity, at any hour – including four AM when Marco had work in a few hours. Still Heracules called Ace by name, it was only fair that Ace did the same, as accurate as the nickname was.

Marco looked away from the window and Ace, turning back to the accursed paperwork he really needed to finish.

As he returned to his work Ace finally pulled himself away from the window and started pacing. He spoke lightly to himself – or perhaps he thought Marco could hear and understand the mumbling he was doing.

"it's settled, we need to go shopping!"

"I'm not coming with you this time" Marco remarked not looking up.

"Of course you are" Ace planted his hands on Marco's desk shaking the stack of paper dangerously. He hadn't even realized Ace had approached. "This is war Marco, WAR, we must win"

"I have to finish this tonight" he answered calmly, refusing to look up. Looking up would be a mistake with Ace so close. Marco knew his gaze would be focused, his eyes light with determination. No he couldn't look, he'd be unable to resist agreeing to Ace's every word.

"It's only going to be a small, quick shopping trip. Just enough to one up Lawnmower guy!" Marco glanced up the protest on his lips. No way in hell it would be as Ace so lightly claimed a 'small, quick shopping trip' Ace never did quick – unless they were talking food.

"Ace" he said his tone cutting close to a whine.

"war Marco, war"

"fine" he dropped his pen and removed his reading glasses. "but you're helping me with my paperwork when we get back"

"deal!" Ace let out a maniacal laugh, his gleeful cackling bouncing around the room. Marco swore with the right lighting and a bit of ominous music Ace could pull off a wonderful villain. Maybe he should pitch the idea when Ace repeated this adventure next Halloween.

"let's go then, and this better be quick."

"it will be!"

Marco's first mistake was letting Ace decide to go shopping. His second mistake was taking it upon himself to prevent Ace from spending all their money. And his third mistake was looking into Ace's face – really after that he was just asking for it.

* * *

Ace and Marco had moved into their house approximately two years prior. The neighborhood they'd chosen was known for it's seasonal decorations, of course at the time the two weren't aware of it. It wasn't until their first Christmas came around that they found out.

The entire neighborhood exploded in Christmas lights and cheer. Lights as far as the eye could see were plastered over every surface. People from all over the city would visit and take in the sights. It was quite the event, not a single house was free of the vast decorations.

Though you really shouldn't ask Marco's opinion about the whole thing. The visitors made it incredibly difficult for anyone living in the neighborhood to get home after dark. The streets were packed for blocks in every direction. More than once Marco had simply flicked on his hazards, taken a back street and driven on the incorrect side of the road, just to get home.

A dozen competitions were held each year for various seasons and categories. For Halloween there was spooky, scary, gory. For Christmas it was even more vast. There were competitions for themed blocks, there were events for joyful, entryway, elegant creations, handcrafted, you name it. With countless competitions naturally some of the more competitive citizens went all out. The worst being their neighbor Heracules.

In their first December Heracules house drowned in decorations. The man had the works, lights of every color, lights that played to music, he gave out treats, his house and lawn screamed Christmas. It was a cluster of nonsense and Marco honestly didn't care. At the time Ace hadn't either.

Then later in December Heracules decided to question whether they were going to put up decorations right in front of Ace and Thatch, who was visiting. The competition started right then.

Marco couldn't honestly say his family wasn't stubborn or competitive, because they were. He could however say Ace and Thatch were the worst about it when pressed.

Ace became obsessed, he and Thatch bought out every store and created their own explosion of Christmas – shocking Marco who'd been at work and came home unknowing.

However to Ace and Thatch's great depression, they still lost the competition.

The event led to a similar one for every holiday that followed and each year Ace failed to win.

This year Ace was determined, it was the first of December and 'lawnmower guy' was putting up his decorations. Which meant Ace had to do the same.

After all 'it was on', as Ace liked to claim.

* * *

Marco managed to keep Ace from buying out the store and he'd managed to finish his paperwork without Ace's aid.

The next day started out great. He'd left happily for work while Ace worked on his plans. He'd had a exhausting and filling day, now finally he was coming home.

He knew to expect at least something, as he avoided the huge line of cars. Ace and Thatch would no doubt do their worst.

As Marco pulled up, he decided he should have stayed at work.

"Really Ace?" he called pulling toward the front of their house rather than the driveway which was filled with decorations not yet up.

"Marco! Welcome home" Ace called looking up from a large blueprint.

"Oh good! you can help us" Thatch added in a greeting not even glancing up as he poured over the paper before him.

Marco sighed at the two and parked his car. Resigning himself to his fate. He'd be spending the night checking and untangling lights. He walked over to his brother and boyfriend, doing his best to keep the despair from his voice.

"What's the plan?" twin grins turned on him both of their eyes glancing toward the pile of lights.

* * *

"Dammit!" Ace cried. Marco sputtered in his sleep sitting up in a rush of panic and adrenaline.

"What's wrong!?" he glanced around for potential danger.

"Lawnmower guy's house! He's better than us again!" Marco dropped himself back onto his pillows with a thud. Why couldn't Heracules give Ace at least one, then he and Thatch would be done with this and Marco could get a full nights sleep – pending Heracules finally stopped mowing at four AM.

"We can't win" Ace whined "no matter what we do he one ups us"

Marco opened an eye to see Ace looking dejected out their bedroom window. He hated to see Ace look like that, defeated wasn't a good look for him.

Marco felt a twinge of his competitive spirit flare up.

"Then play dirty" he stated sitting up fully. Ace perked up twisting away from the window to look at Marco.

"What do you have in mind?"

* * *

Ace knew Marco wasn't in to the decoration competition as much as he was, which was fine. Marco preferred a traditional Christmas. The one where you spent time with family, you traded gifts because you wanted those you loved to be happy. He celebrated the holidays because he loved his brothers, father and friends. It was for that reason that Ace was a bit surprised.

Sure Marco was competitive, every son of Edward Newgate was. It was almost a requirement. You needed it for the card games, the pranking and the betting always going on.

Still Marco had always been a bit more lax about it then the others. He'd slaughter anyone in a drinking competition but only if you forced him into it. He owned at card games and was often banned. And despite Thatch, Ace, and Haruta being the go-to pranksters Marco could hold his own and had proved it many times.

Still Ace figured the light competition - going off Marco's love for the traditional part of the holiday's - would never be the man's thing. He was wrong, Marco didn't get into that kind of battle because he was a damned master at them.

Using his free day Marco ordered Ace to call Luffy and his friends then got to work. Obediently Ace called those Marco wanted him to call and then returned to his side.

Marco's plan was relatively simple. Until the day of the competition he didn't allow Ace to do anything extra for their house. They let Lawnmower guy think he'd won. Then the night before the actual competition they set to work.

Eldest brother to his family, Marco stood in front of the house with his arms crossed as he ordered his 'men' around.

Franky, Usopp and Blenheim built huge displays. Zoro, Sabo, and Haruta climbed all over the roof laying lights while Koala, Nami, and Robin handed the strings to them keeping them untangled. Thatch and Ace were put on check the light duty out of revenge. Each one of their friends and brothers helped in one way or another.

In a manner of hours their house was quite possibly the most over the top Christmas explosion Ace had ever seen, and he loved it.

As the judges went around that night Marco set his finishing touches. The neighborhood was visited by lines of people attempting to see the lights and Marco took advantage.

The group oh'd and ah'd as the last touch was placed in the form of their father.

Edward Newgate was well known in the city. He did charity work, he visited hospitals, he cared for countless orphans and he happily would help out his sons when asked. Wearing a full getup made by Izo he sat in the display Franky had made dressed like Santa.

He waved and took pictures, he handed out simple presents and candies and 'ho ho ho'd' fully into being Santa himself.

Parents stopped in their cars and let their kids sit on 'Santa's' lap. He asked about their Christmas list and joyfully took pictures with any who wanted it. Not far off Chopper raced around in a reindeer outfit, while a few of Luffy's friends and Marco's brothers ran around dressed as elves.

On their lawn you couldn't see a spec of grass, so covered by lights and wire Ace was prepared to call the fire department. The house was the same, with words flashing to music and a full sized sleigh placed on top of the roof.

"It's amazing" Ace said sniffing emotionally, because if he did say so himself, they totally won.

"If we don't win this thing is rigged" laughed Thatch, wandering around geared out in elf clothing – complete with pointed ears.

"Thatch, Sanji, we need more cookies!" called Izo from his spot beside their father.

"Got it!" their chef raced off to hit up Marco and Ace's kitchen with Sanji to resupply.

Ace grinned as he left and turned toward his boyfriend who was resting against their mailbox inspecting his work.

"It's amazing" he repeated looking right at his boyfriend instead of the house "Thank you Marco"

"Hm" Marco glanced upward right at Ace his face in a wicked grin "I guess you owe me one"

Ace smirked "I'm sure I can think of someway to repay you" he waved his hand in a circle letting his eyes fall on Marco's chest. A sly smirk placed on his face as Marco followed his line of sight.

"So can I" responded Marco pushing himself away from the mailbox.

"Oh?" Ace licked at his lips

"Yeah" Marco returned Ace's grin with a smirk, one he used when he'd won a battle "I have a huge amount of paperwork left, you can help me with it"

Ace's resounding groan was heard by everyone on their lawn.


	2. Chapter 2

There was a loud crack as the wooden door to their home slammed into the wall. The sheer force very likely might have sent the handle through the wall. Or it would have, had it not already occurred earlier that year. Now the wall had a protective plastic spot placed by Blamenco at Macro's request. The plastic wouldn't stop Garp who used entirely too much force. Ace however at least took care not to break their own home.

"Marco!" Ace screamed his head on a swivel as he hunted the other man down. "Marco!"

Ace rushed through the house throwing himself at the closet they never actually went in. Within belonged all their seasonal gear. Such as Marco's snowboard or Ace's toboggan, equipment used when they visited family that lived in snowy areas. The items rarely found use since Ace and Macro lived in a city where snow was rarer than a mythical zoan devil-fruit user. Ace knew he was dating one such user he claimed the point remained. Marco was after all incredibly special.

Their current hometown was a place where when the ground froze the whole area would shut down in a panic. A city where salt trucks were gravel trucks because they didn't have the salt. And trust him where he said, the rocks did not help even slightly if the ground decided to ice up.

So yeah it didn't snow, ever.

It was a giant buzz kill every winter. Ace claimed they never hit winter, if it wasn't snowing, and it wasn't freezing it wasn't winter! And yes he would go a bit crazy with the seasonal decorations he still found it quite offending to place them grass. Something just killed the mood to see all the beautiful lights... on dull, dying grass.

Ace had, in fact, become very obsessed with snow over the last few years. Two years ago he'd been desperate to see snow for the holidays. Ace had even suggested they visit his biological father last 'winter.' And if you knew him, you knew how desperate that was.

Of course, his father lived in an area that had snow every single year. So they went two years prior, the problem was that visit? Yeah not a single flake, not one. It was a whole winter of nothing! No snow. The suffering he'd put in, the obnoxious awkward family visit was a giant waste of time.

Marco pitied him so the previous year he'd suggested they visit Izo instead. For where Izo had been born they had snow every year as well.

So they visited.

Two weeks they spent with Izo. Two weeks. Not one flake of snow.

Then the day after they left? Yup, a snowstorm. Ace had raged to ridiculous degrees, Marco had given him a ton of food on their drive home to comfort him. Izo, however, hadn't hidden his amusement at the whole situation.

Not to say Ace regretted moving, he'd left his hometown to be with the man he loved. He loved Marco, and he loved the sun. He loved going to the beach and hiking on his weekends. Hell Ace even enjoyed the competition he had with his neighbor. So yeah, Ace loved his new home.

But, he missed snow. He couldn't help it. He, Luffy and Sabo every year had gone completely crazy over it. They'd skipped school; they'd built snowmen and igloo's, they'd created snow tunnels and snow angels. It was... it was snow! He loved it, and he was beginning to accept that he wouldn't see any. Especially since they'd agreed to remain home this year, it was Pops' turn for the seasonal visit after all.

As it turns out, mother nature was a kind woman.

"Marco!" Ace screamed once again throwing open the closet with great force. He snatched up his winter jacket, unused for three years. His scarf, gloves, and hat quickly followed as he rushed to throw them on. As he did so, he grabbed Marco's winter clothing as well. "MARCOOOOO"

"What's up?" Marco poked his head into the back room looking uncertain.

"Have you looked out the window?" Ace threw the snow gear at his boyfriend. "have you?!"

"Not recently," Marco admitted bemused "why are you grabbing all this stuff?"

"Marco." Ace's hands hit Marco's shoulders as he gazed deeply into his eyes "it's snowing."

Marco recoiled slightly, that couldn't be. It hadn't snowed in the city in two and a half decades. In fact, Ace hadn't even been born the last time it snowed here. They'd gotten mild ice once or twice, but real snow? Yeah no.

"Quickly!" Ace pushed at Marco's shoulders turning him and marching him toward the door "It's snowing!" Ace physically bounced and skipped as they made their way to the front door. He left behind open doors, lights on and random winter clothing along the ground. But Ace didn't care.

Marco chuckled as he glanced out the window. Sure enough, it was snowing, really snowing. Huge flakes of snow were falling and collecting on the ground in clumps.

Ace released a delighted squeal, a noise he'd deny making to his dying day. He reached the front door and rushed outside with a whoop and a yell of pure delight. Marco was hardly immune to Ace's joy and the snow falling. He just as quickly pulled on his winter clothing and rushed outside; he left the door wide open in his haste.

The second he was beyond the threshold he was beaned with a snowball to the face.

"Ace!" he sputtered.

"Bwahaha!" Ace bolted his hands hitting the ground scooping ice and leaves as he went. They hadn't gotten around to raking the ground yet, so the snow was a mix of color. It hardly stopped either of them; leaves wouldn't harm them.

Marco rushed for the nearby mailbox and scooped the snow off the top. Packing ice together Marco spun around ready to throw just in time for another snowball to smack into his chest. Ace gleefully cackled darting away even as the ball Marco had collected hit him directly in the back of the head.

Ace skipped a step not even perturbed by the ice running down his back. He swept the ground gaining more ammo and started a full-on war. Leaves and ice went flying as the pair played. They cared not that the heating was on in their housewarming eve as the cold entered through the open door. Or the fact that thanks if the snow lasted thanks to the lack of salt trucks, no one would be going to work the day after. Especially not with the locals being completely unable to drive in the rain, let alone snow.

The snow was the perfect consistency for snowballs and snowmen. It gathered on the ground freely. Children and people were rushing outside with hastily thrown on winter apparel. Or in some cases such as Luffy, not even bothering with clothing.

Luffy who lived several houses down rushed toward them still in shorts and a t-shirt he was utterly uncaring to the cold. He hardly seemed to notice even as Sabo rushed after him an extra bright red jacket in his hands.

Luffy tackled Ace to the ground just as Marco's snowball aimed at Ace missed and struck Luffy in the head.

"Snow battle!" Luffy yelled.

"Luffy put on your jacket!" Sabo cried.

Ace looked positively mad with joy "Snowball war! Marco and I against Luffy and Sabo!" he took quick advantage of his self-proclaimed teams. He grabbed a great glob of snow and shoved it down the back of Luffy's shirt. Luffy shrieked darting away just as Sabo reached them to push his jacket at him.

Ace bolted grabbing Marco by the hand and tugging him away before Luffy could retaliate. They bolted around a nearby bush and dove to the ground both sliding in the snow. Ace made quick work of the adjacent snow creating as many snowballs as they could. Marco made his own and shot it right away at Sabo who'd had remained unscathed. The poor man was still holding onto Luffy's arms forcing an arm into the hole to get the jacket on. Luffy was challenging to work as he jumped around to get rid of the snow in his shirt and at the same time attempting to make a snowball for revenge.

Marco's shot struck Sabo right in the chest. Sabo glared as he succeeded in his task. "It's on!" Sabo gave a war cry, his mission done he could focus entirely on the 'enemy.'

From behind their bush, Ace continued to cackle. He caught Marco's eyes with a boyish grin he leaned forward. He crossed the slight distance between them and gave Marco a quick peck.

"Let's kick their ass,"

Marco smirked, "They don't stand a chance."

They played in the snow for hours. Friends, neighbors, and family came from all over. Sanji bravely chanced a careful drive in the snow - and nearly wiped out though he wouldn't admit it. Even their competitive neighbor Heracles exited his house in what appeared to be a jacket designed to look like a beetle's shell. He also wore a woolen hat that had horns upon his head. He declared he would build the most magnificent ever snow-beetle and went for it.

It was surprisingly not Ace who accepted this challenge but Usopp who'd run over to play. He and Luffy got to work to create their snow-beetle. Ace and Marco, while this was going on, slipped away to build a traditional snowman. It was a small little thing and slightly lopsided, it also had a nose made of a stick; they had no carrots in the house. Still Ace loved it.

"Come here" Marco beckoned as they finished. He knelt beside the snowman and pointed Ace to take the opposite side of him.

"What?"

"I want to remember this" Marco shrugged. He pulled out his cell and snapped a quick picture of himself, the snowman, and Ace together. The image would be framed and placed right on their shelf. It would stand beside the ones from their past two snow absent winter holidays.

Marco was inspecting the picture ensuring it was focused and Ace's bright smile was front and center. Ace always took the best pictures he thought fondly.

"Usopp we need super wings!" Luffy cried from nearby.

Ace swung to his feet "You can't make wings Luffy! They're too thin to stay up." He shot a cheeky grin at Sabo nearby sipping a cocoa on their front porch before he darted over. Marco watched him go with a fond smile.

By morning the snow would be melted leaving behind a tilted snowman and several drooping snow-beetles. One of the snow-beetles would have missing wings that vanished with the sun. While of all people, Sabo would be the one who got sick with a cold. But none of them cared. They had fun at the time and enjoyed it while it lasted.


End file.
